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Beijing today

Workers prepared a giant hammer and sickle emblem in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square for the 90th anniversary of China’s Communist Party last month. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

The view of Beijing from the Central TV Tower is often obscured by smog. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

A customer looks at General Motors Hummers for sale on the outskirts of the city. To cut down on pollution and traffic, citizens must enter a lottery to obtain a driver’s license before they can purchase a vehicle. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

Photographers use Chaoyang Park as a backdrop for elaborate wedding photos of couples in rented outfits. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

At China Central Square, an exclusive shopping mall, a mother checks her phone as she sits on a bench with her sleeping daughter. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

Soldiers in the People’s Liberation Army – the world’s largest, with 2.5 million members – train in Beijing’s Forbidden City. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

A woman sits in the courtyard of her 'siheyuan,' a traditional dwelling that consists of four buildings set around a common area. The term 'hutong' refers both to the narrow streets along which such houses are found and the neighborhoods they form. Hutongs are disappearing, replaced by wide roads and high-rise housing. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

Beijing developer SOHO has played a big role in reshaping the city, erecting high-profile commercial properties. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

A vendor near Beijing’s Forbidden City sells T-shirts with communist themes, including President Obama in a Mao suit and revolutionary Che Guevara. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

People rest with their dogs – including a poodle with pink ears – at Tiau Jiao Cultural Street which includes a popular pet market. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

Visitors take photos atop Beijing’s Central TV Tower where the view of the city is obscured by pollution. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

People enjoy the street life of Hutong XiSi, one of the few old neighborhoods left standing in central Beijing. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff